The Portuguese Advertiser Association (APAN) recently released the results of the 2012 Portuguese, which demonstrate that members of the Pledge have significantly changed the way they advertise to children. The report, presented by APAN and Federation of Portuguese Agro-Food Industries (FIPA), was developed by Accenture and the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco and show the impact of the self-regulatory measures, which the 27 member companies of the Portuguese Pledge subscribed to in 2009.

Television compliance rates regarding advertisement to children under 12 years was 99.2%. Regarding communication in primary schools, the compliance rate reaches 100%. The results also show that children's exposure to advertising for products that are not categorised as “better-for-you” fell by an impressive 96% in children's programmes compares to 2005 and by as much as 40% across all programming.

These results are particularly welcome and relevant at a time when there have been discussions at a political level regarding food marketing restrictions in Lisbon.